How to Get Fit Through Community Volunteering
Volunteering isn’t just good for the community; it can be a fantastic way to get stronger, fitter, and even happier. When you sign up for active volunteer work, you turn everyday movement into an uplifting workout.
Whether you’re burning calories outdoors or building muscle helping others, these activities are practical, social, and rewarding. Here are some of the best ways to stay fit while pitching in.
If planting green spaces, read up on pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens. If planting trees, know of trees to avoid near horses (including yew, oak and sycamore). Cordon off trees affected by oak processionary moths (also from livestock). These should be reported to Treealert.
Volunteer for The GoodGym Community
GoodGym is a nationwide community of almost 25,000 volunteers (the no-contract optional £7 donation uses profits to help isolated older people).
Members are profiled online, so adjust the privacy options, to avoid your profile being public, if wished.
Examples of ‘fitness tasks’ carried out are:
- Planting trees in local parks
- Cleaning up community centres
- Volunteer gardening
- Helping older people with home maintenance
- Sorting cans in food banks
Community Gardening: Growing Veg
Spending a morning planting and weeding in a community garden is hard work. You use muscles often missed in normal routines, like your back, arms and legs. No-dig gardening is also calming and you see the results of your work. Fresh air, teamwork and a shared meal after make this a standout volunteering choice.
Green Gym’s Conservation Projects
Green Gym is run by The Conservation Volunteers. Join up in your local area to transform local green spaces, and get fit at the same time! Sessions are 3 to 4 hours long with trained instructors, with activities ranging from light gardening work to conservation tasks. It’s free, you make new friends and get tea and biscuits!
From planting trees to creating wildflower meadows, there is something for everyone to get involved in.
In October 2025, The Conservation Volunteers are launching a new program: Free Trees for Communities (across the UK). You receive free tree packs, then gather together to plant them – sure to keep you fit!
All the native trees are grown locally, and provide maximum benefit for green spaces and wildlife. Choose from:
- Pocket Forest
- Greener Cities
- Pollinators
- ‘The Big Five’
- Hawthorn Hedge
- Wildlife Booster
- Traditional Woodland
- Fruit Trees for Schools
Dog Walking for Local Shelters
Dog shelters often need volunteers to walk, play with, and socialize their animals. Each step you take with a dog means better fitness for you and a boost for your mental health.
You’re not just strolling around the block. Volunteer dog walking usually means brisk walks, energetic playtime, and sometimes handling big, strong pups. You’ll be outside, moving every part of your body while bonding with furry friends.
Many charities and care agencies welcome people to walk dogs, for older and disabled guardians. Shelters also welcome volunteer workers (happier walked dogs are more likely to be adopted).
Canal and Litter Clean-Ups
Community clean-ups (like local litter-picks from parks, rivers, or canals) ask you to bend, squat, reach, and carry bags of collected trash. These activities give you a mini workout every time you volunteer.
You might be surprised at how physical it can be:
- Squatting and bending over: Works your legs, back, and core.
- Carrying trash bags or objects: Builds grip strength and endurance.
- Walking along lengthy trails or riverbanks: Adds steady cardio.
Tree-Planting and Conservation Projects
Tree-planting brings together fresh air, nature, and hard work. These projects need volunteers to dig holes, move plants, and carry water or mulch. It’s a hands-on fitness boost for people of all ages.
Tasks like these use a mix of upper and lower body strength, plus a good amount of balance and mobility. They’re more than just squats and lunges in the great outdoors.
Typical physical tasks include:
- Shovelling earth and filling holes for saplings
- Hauling mulch or compost
- Watering trees, which sometimes means walking a distance with heavy cans
- Stretching, balancing, and sometimes climbing or crouching
Coaching and Organizing Local Sports
Youth teams and adult recreational leagues all run on the efforts of volunteers. Whether you’re leading soccer practice, refereeing basketball, or organizing park runs, you stay on your feet and keep your mind engaged.
Coaching means:
- Leading warmups, drills, and games that keep your heart rate up
- Chasing after stray balls or showing kids how to do a drill
- Standing, squatting, running, or throwing—sometimes all at once
Volunteer as Lifeboat Crew
This can save lives, and get you fit at the same time. Volunteer lifeboat crew are always needed to rescue people and dogs, and will also keep you fit!
RNLI runs 238 lifeboat stations and 441 lifeboats in the fleet (including relief and hovercrafts). In 2023, their lifeguards covered 238 beaches and some of them are volunteers. They also saved 86 lives.
